Traveling to Scotland for the first time and wanting to make sure you’re as prepared as possible? You’re not alone! Thousands of travelers discover this bonnie nation every year and want to put their best foot forward with locals and have a smooth trip. Below you’ll find my essential Scotland travel tips and what I wish I knew before visiting Scotland from my time living there and visiting over the years.
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Tips for Traveling to Scotland for the First Time
Unlike in the United States, in Scotland, restrooms/bathrooms are labeled as “WCs” or water closets, or simply “Toilets.”
1. Tylenol is called paracetamol in Scotland, and Advil is known as ibuprofen. Both are available to buy in supermarkets or pharmacies without a prescription, although you can only buy two packets at a time.
2. Layer, layer, layer! Regardless of the month you’re visiting Scotland, be prepared for a variety of temperatures. I recommend having a fleece, a scarf, and a light wind-resistant rain jacket that fits over the fleece with you at all times, as the wind can really cool things down. The last thing you want is to be too cold to enjoy Scotland’s natural beauty (or too hot when you step inside anywhere).
3. Wear comfortable shoes! Choose something with good arch support because you’ll be walking a LOT. Make sure your hiking shoes have ankle support for some of the hikes in the Highlands. Even in the main cities, you’ll be walking on uneven cobblestone and will want something comfy on your feet. Better yet, check out my full Scotland packing list.
4. You can use Apple Maps or Google Maps for navigation on foot or in the car. But heads up Google Maps will automatically display distances in kilometers, which can be difficult to compute, whereas Apple Maps will keep everything in miles.
5. Scotland charges for bags when shopping at most establishments. If this is a bother to you or you’re particularly eco-conscious, have a small reusable bag on you.
6. While we’re on the subject of reusable items and Scotland travel tips, bring a refillable water bottle with you. The tap water in all parts of Scotland is perfectly clean and safe to drink.
7. You won’t find as much ice in your drinks as Americans are used to, nor will the beer you order be quite as cold as you might expect. Both are quite normal but might surprise you when traveling to Scotland for the first time.
8. You can fly into Glasgow or Edinburgh, as both cities have international airports. Both cities have advantages and drawbacks in deciding where you want to spend time. Read my full guide on Glasgow or Edinburgh for tips for visiting Scotland.
9. Bring your own washcloth if that’s something you use regularly in your daily life. Most hotels will not have them.
10. Co-ops have amazing takeaway sandwiches and other foods. They offer £5 meal deals that can really save you some money while you’re in Scotland. From a very personal and very unpleasant experience, I would avoid any seafood from the Tesco meal deals. It was not pretty.
11. If you’re familiar with ALDI, you’ll be pleased to see them all over Scotland. Pop in to grab a couple of essentials if you’re staying somewhere with a kitchen, as this will save you a good bit of money. Lidl is similarly common.
12. Make sure you have a good waterproof rain jacket, not just a water-resistant one. The latter will not hold up to the mist and deluges that occur.
13. Umbrellas are basically useless and are typically only used by tourists. The wind can turn them upside down and render them useless pretty quickly, especially in the Highlands or the Isles.
14. Don’t underestimate how challenging Highland roads can be if you’re renting a car. Even if you quickly get the hang of driving on the left side of the road, the roads outside the main cities are difficult. They’re winding, narrow, often single-track with passing places, and require full concentration.
15. If you don’t live somewhere with roundabouts, familiarize yourself with them before driving in Scotland on the left side of the road. You will encounter them, and it’s best to be prepared.
16. You don’t need to take out any currency before you land in Scotland. Credit cards are accepted no matter how low the amount, though you will want to withdraw a small amount of pounds to have on you just in case. Because…
17. Public restrooms aren’t always free. Having some small coins on you will make things easier, though some restrooms will accept cards.
18. If you’re renting a car, you may also want to have some coins on you. Some street parking and parking lots will allow you to use credit cards to pay for parking, but others will require coins. If you don’t have a UK phone number, don’t park in a spot where you can only pay by app, as it will only work for UK phone numbers.
19. American Express isn’t as widely accepted in Scotland, nor did I have much luck with my Discover card when I lived there. Mastercard and Visa are accepted just about anywhere.
20. Plan ahead if you’re traveling during the high season summer months, as some historic sites, such as Edinburgh Castle, will be sold out in advance. Read my guide on the best month to visit Scotland here.
21. Speaking of planning ahead, book ahead! Accommodations will fill up fast in Scotland, and you need to book in advance to give yourself the most options. This is especially true if you’re visiting more remote places like the Isle of Skye. For my full Isle of Skye guide, click here.
22. And because you can’t plan for everything unexpected, get trip insurance for your trip to Scotland! I recommend travelinsurance.com because it allows you to compare a wide range of travel insurance plans from multiple providers in one place and easily customize it to your specific needs.
23. With your hairdryers, curling irons, and straighteners, you might need a voltage converter and plug adapter if your device is not compatible with a 230V supply with a Type G plug (most are not). Most plug adapters are not voltage converters, so make sure you check the product specifications before you plug in. If you are planning to travel with any of those, I recommend this voltage converter.
24. If you don’t need to use any straighteners or curling irons, this plug adapter is cheaper and will work anywhere in the world so you can use it on future adventures. It has multiple USD ports you don’t have to fight over who gets to charge their phone if you’re traveling in a group.
25. In Scotland, most accommodations only have duvets and not a top sheet. While this is pretty common in Europe, it’s basically unheard of in the States. If that will bother you and you have extra suitcase space, throw in your own sheet. But if you’re traveling with just a carry-on, you’ll be fine with just the duvet.
26. There are no outlets in the bathrooms in Scotland. You will likely need to shave, curl, or dry your hair somewhere with poor lighting and no mirror.
27. The Isle of Skye and Inverness are great, but spending time on less popular isles like Mull or Iona could be a wonderful addition to your Scotland itinerary. Both are on my list of Top 10 Places to Go in Scotland.
28. Something I wish I knew before traveling to Scotland is that packing cubes can be your best friend, as unlike other warmer vacation spots, you need to be prepared with lots of layers for any given day. These are my favorites.
29. Scotland is known for many things, and being ADA accessible isn’t one of them. Many accommodations and buildings do not have elevators, so be prepared to carry your luggage up multiple flights of stairs. A lot of buildings also have very narrow doorways.
30. Most hotels will provide you with instant coffee and a kettle. Instant coffee is quite common across Scotland. In the face of jet lag, I’ll take any form of caffeine I can get, but if your palate is more discerning than mine and instant coffee isn’t for you, you may want to bring some Folger’s coffee tea bags.
31. Irn Bru, Scotland’s favorite soda beverage is bright orange and also contains caffeine if you need a pick me up to fight the jet lag. It’s beloved by locals and a must try while visiting.
32. Love Outlander and heading to Culloden Battlefield? The Fraser Clan stone has been marked off from tourists because of the degradation to the land surrounding it. Make sure you pay your respects to the almost death of Jamie Fraser from afar.
33. If you have Scottish ancestry, first of all, #1 I’m jealous, and #2 none of the Scots that you encounter will find that particularly interesting. They’ll likely be very polite, as they’re generally hospitable people, but it’s not necessary to inform anyone of that fact.
34. This fact is not going to make or break your trip, but just a heads-up that Scottish Gaelic is pronounced “gah-lik,” whereas Irish Gaelic is pronounced “gay-lik.”
35. “Cheers” is a casual goodbye or thank you, not just something you say with a drink in hand. Finished being rung up at the grocery store? “Cheers.” Hopping off the airport shuttle? “Cheers.” Read this entire blog post from start to finish? “Cheers!”
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